Friday, February 24, 2012

What I'm Digging

Happy Friday, friends! We've had an interesting week, to say the least. Tuesday witnessed my first knitting class. I must admit, it's not a skill I intuitively picked up straightaway. Quite the contrary. I figured out making a slip knot and casting on, but actually making a knit stitch? What? How? Where? I was totally lost. That's alright. I'm a tenacious sort of gal, so I'll figure it out, one way or another (big, heartfelt thanks to all of you that set me suggestions on Twitter for books, websites, blogs and videos on gettin' 'er done).

On Wednesday, a book idea I'm pretty passionate about was turned down by a literary agent I've been chatting with. That's alright, too. I'm not done with the idea yet, so I'm squirreling it away and letting it simmer for now. Wednesday also presented the death of our two hot water heaters. The average lifespan of hot water heaters, according to our plumber, is 8-12 years. Ours were 8, and totally bit the dust. Hello huge unexpected replacement expense! Yesterday we had a new, single water heater installed. My mom came over and offered me a bit of a mental and physical reprieve by playing outside with Huxley in the garden (or, as he calls it, the "gar-dy"), reading him countless books inside, and otherwise smothering him with the love and affection he so very much enjoys.

Tonight, my friend Jenny is coming over for dinner. The nice twist is that she's bringing the meal with her. She's been on a Middle Eastern food kick lately and will be festooning us with meat pies (MEAT! PIES!), some sort of yogurt sauce, and an arugula salad, while I provide the dessert (I'm planning on making Diana Henry's "Middle Eastern Orange Cake with Marmalade and Orange-Flower Cream"). Tomorrow, I'm headed with some lady friends to Double G Farm to test out some of Lance's firearms. I'm still trying to "find my weapon" for my hunting pursuits. That excursion will be followed up by dinner at the home of some beloved friends (who, by the way, are building a chocolate factory!).

The weather is amazing right now. So much so, in fact, that I'm writing this from my covered porch, where we recently relocated the breakfast table to in order to create a larger play space for Huxley in the kitchen. The wind is blowing, the temperature is just right, I've got a hot mug of cardamom coffee beside me, and Huxley is busying himself by moving things around on the porch (he watches Hubs and I constantly moving things around and about the kitchen and gets all "business" when he starts moving things himself-right now, it's candleholders and little bits of soil from some dormant houseplants).

i'm so sorry to hear about the book, I know you will make it happen some other way! Also keep it up with the knitting. I only know basic things but am constantly doing it to keep my hands busy while in a movie, during long conversations, etc. It really helps me to focus and zero in on what's going on in front of me.

I don't know how I found her, but Liat Gat has an amazing set of videos and really neat "books" that have videos embedded in them. She's at knitfreedom.com and will readily respond to your email inquiries. I think she's just great!

About Me

Making an attempt to craft a good life with my husband and young son in a small mountain community. I find pleasure in the light at dusk, atlases, hard cider, cat antics, dog breath, baby giggles, homemade ice cream and snorty laughter.
Author of the "Homemade Living" book series (Lark Books) which showcases topics related to small-scale homesteading and some of the diverse ways people are reconnecting with their food and food communities and taking up sustainable food practices.
I also host a bi-monthly column every Friday on Design*Sponge:http://www.designspongeonline.com/category/small-measures.
E-mail me directly at: ashleyadamsenglish(at)gmail.com.

The Best LIttle Chicken Coop in Candler

"The Big Problem is nothing more or less than the sum total of countless little everyday choices, most of them made by us and most of the rest of them made in the name of our needs and desires and preferences."-Michael Pollan